McCormack Signs! YEP Say Takeover More Imminent Than Imminent?

Pigs flew over Elland Road this morning as Leeds’ top-scorer and player of the season Ross McCormack signed a new contract. After scoring in the Cup and motioning to sign to the fans, there was little the club could do but sign him up. McCormack has returned from a successful told-you-so return for Scotland and signed a new three year deal just in time for his birthday. For Leeds, this means there’s a whole two more years until he’s flogged at cut-price amid still-ongoing takeover talks.

It’s perfect timing with the first game of the season being on Saturday, and I was always hopeful that we could get things sorted in time.

In all seriousness, though, this is obviously a great move for Leeds which will see us retain a striker with a lot of flair and skill, who has performed at the top of the Championship on and off for a few years now. Keeping McCormack will also solve one massive potential headache for Neil Warnock, as he made no secret that under current ownership, the club could not afford the transfer fees involved in signing a new striker permanently. He said:

It’s been hard work, but I’m really pleased, Ross had made it clear that he wanted to be with us.

Both parties are very happy. Ross has been enjoying his football and he can concentrate on his season now, particularly after scoring his goal for Scotland in midweek.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has tweeted to let the fans know that the takeover is still moving along:

Negotiations over the takeover of #lufc have been relentless this week. A deal could hardly be much closer. Update in tomorrow’s YEP

Last I heard, there were “necessary legal matters” still to resolve. But the feeling is that there’s not much talking left to be done #lufc

Worth saying that the “necessary legal matters” re the takeover are real issues and still crucial to the deal being done #lufc

The Scratching Shed’s frontline correspondents were unfortunately unable to verify whether this means that the the takeover is now more imminent than “imminent” or less so. But I’m sure time (wearing, grinding, interminable time) will tell. Now let’s embrace the beginning of a new season!

WOW! I can’t believe we signed him and didn’t sell him off for whatever we could get. Hopefully this means that we have entered the “Golden Rhino” episode with Papa Smurf (FYI: Golden Rhino was episode 256, the season final of The Smurfs)

2 Things immediately come to mind with this signing and that is if Ross will now be named captain of our team and since Craig Levin plays without strikers and then doesn’t choose Ross in the next squard (behind Philips and Rhodes) will Ross regret signing with us and not forcing a move to the Premiership with Norwich? (IMO Craig Levin is an idiot!)

Feel free to use it my friend! I think it has a very fitting aura to it.

mrbigwheels

What a happy man…. wish I was in the bar with you…..

Jumblatts

“will Ross regret signing with us and not forcing a move to the Premiership with Norwich?” I doubt that very much, they just got hammered 5-0 today. I bet old snoddy is regretting his decision already… hee hee

Steo b

Thank fuck Ross signed Motg

Bob

Great news Ross signing … Followed becc’s example last year… Shame “mr my wallets more important snodgrass” choose bottom half prem over us … Thanks Ross …. Hope your relegated snoddy (you could have signed with a getout clause) hopefully your shortsited view bites you in the ass …. Now come on Leeds, MOT

The same Snoddy that signed for Livingston over Barcelona and Celtic and remained at Leeds for a few years despite Prem interest? Was never about cash, he just couldn’t see a light at the end of this ever-lengthening tunnel that is the Ken Bates era. At times, nor can I.

I don’t blame him at all. Putting it down to greed all the time let’s Ken off the hook for the fact he’s totally fucked our club up and Norwich are now a better option. Hard to swallow, I know, but that’s the reality.

Snodgrass played 168 games for Leeds. He could have gone a long time ago. He had a good offer on the table from Leeds, he won’t be on much more at Norwich. He didn’t leave for the money. He was (quite rightly) disenchanted with the club. A club that had pissed him around and lied to him about how we were going to invest big. We didn’t. A player of Snodgrass’ calibre should be in the PL. He’s where he deserves to be. The fact that he’s not in the PL with us is completely the club’s fault, not Snodgrass’ fault. Have a go at the board. don’t have a go at Snodgrass.

I seem to remember a certain Alan Smith being told by the club that his only option was to leave the club in order to help keep the club alive. Sound familiar? Didn’t stop a lot of arseholes lambasting Alan Smith did it? So it’s okay to have a go at Smith but we’re meant to get behind these Portsmouth ‘traitors’?

Topvalleywhite

Listen to yourself man, we knew smith had to go and we knew he was going when he was carried round the stadium but you don’t kiss the badge then sign for the scum, and all this “the club made him for a cash deal” is bollocks, modern footballers won’t kick a ball for a team they don’t want to play for, you are entitled to your somewhat warped opinion of warnocks signings but the team they’re replacing was dross

Chareose

Gradel, Snodgrass, Clayton and Howson would have been the strongest midfeild in the Championship last year if they had been kept together, i hardly call that “dross”……….. people make such sweeping statements and beleive far to much PR and hype thats pumped out

Jumblatts

true, but i would much rather have green and norris in the centre of the park than howson and clayton, who in my opinion went missing far too often. Its down to the league; its a rough league where you need hard tackling midfielders like norris, austin and green. howson is more suited to the pl because its a much less physical league. I wont argue about gradel and snodgrass though, because they were arguably the best wingers in this league (more so gradel)

Topvalleywhite

Snodgrass did well for us but we played our part in where he is, players come and go for whatever reason but I can’t agree he went because he’s been lied to, Bates has never promised to ” invest big” , his stance has always been, here’s your budget, I think people have lost site of the fact that although it’s not as much of the turnover weed like, Grayson still had a 13mill budget last year, teams go up for less

TimPM

I honestly think we shouldn’t be down here any more.. but given we are down here, this is what happens to decent upper-mid-table teams. They sign good players, and the good players move on. We’ve not done owt special with our scouts. We got Snoddy & Gradel, Barnsley got Vaz Te & Hammill…

That’s what you’ve got to live with as a half decent second tier team. The problem is we shouldn’t be here. And you never know, if we get some cash for a handful more players maybe we won’t be much longer!

Irving08

Bob: You appear to be a recent poster on this site. Please respect its culture of reasoned argument. Opinions, not backed by reasons, are of no interest to those of us who have made the site what it is over the last two years. Of course this may not be the site for you; but I hope you stay, raise your game and prosper. You will find that some of our regulars are prone to the occasional emotional outburst, but this right they have earned by their more characteristic, reasoned presentations.
PS Don’t you think that, if Snoddy had been ruled by his wallet, he would have been away long before now ?. I don’t know how long you have been watching Leeds, but wouldn’t you agree that Snoddy is jiust about the best wideman we’ve had since the wee Scotsman (and I don’t mean Georgie Meek) ? Personally, I think we’ve been lucky to have had the pleasure of watching him for as long as we have. The boy will flourish in the Premiership and demonstrate, once and for all, that pace is overrated. At a mere 3 million he is an absolute steal.

Bob

Hi irving, sorry, i used the name “not keen on ken” previously, probable should have kept it. Ive been posting on this site for the best part on 2 years, ive followed leeds a long time, first game away to Grimsby, sat in wrong end, jumped up when Ian Baird scored, got disallowed for offside, shit myself, seen Hatley score for Rangers in the 1st minute at ER! Even lucky enough to be at Brammal Lane to see Gail score the own goal that won the title … have i justified myself yet. My point is Players have the power, they force moves, did arsenal want to sell Nasri, Fab or RVP, do wolves want to sell Jarvis? These players give the clubs little choice … Colin, agreed Snoddy made 168, but Batty and Speed made 200 plus and Gary Kelly 400 plus (thats real loyalty) … He could have given one more season, he could have insisted on a get out clause … Instead he choose Norwich … If anyone other than Norwich did come in for him, show me and I’ll take it all back …. Well done Ross, your not a legend yet, but at the end of this season ….. Irving, TTs and Colin, Im not trying to offend, its just an opinion, at 46 years old, i should know better.

Kells was actually 500+ – he’s the only player since Don Revie’s era to do so. The obvious irony is however that you’re accusing Snoddy of greed then pointing to a player Leeds couldn’t get rid of and who cost us a fortune following relegation. I love Kells, but he’s not without fault.

The difference with Kells and Snoddy is that Kelly played his career at the highest level with Leeds, Snoddy didn’t feel he’d ever achieve that here – and after 4 years seeing Bates sell every quality player in the squad, why would he believe otherwise? I don’t believe anything Bates says, do you?

Also, you’re praising McCormack for signing a new contract after one good season and totally ignoring the fact that Snodgrass did exactly the same. Another two years of Ken Bates’ leadership (which will put McCormack on same time served as Snoddy) and I’d bet my house that Ross will be looking for the exit. Football players have an incredibly short career, they may only get one chance to play at the highest level and unless they feel the club they’re currently at will make it soon enough – and there’s been very little indication to suggest we will – they’d be stupid to stick around.

Snoddy – 4 years, 2 contracts, 7 billion broken promises from Bates, every key player around him sold (as Leeds start to go backwards). McCormack has a lot of catching up to do before you can use him as a comparison.

Bob

Im gonna have to agree to disagree as I have never been sat in on any discussions between Mr Bates and Mr Snodgrass to really understand what was offered, broken etc, etc, and can only assume you have. Ive obviously become over cycinal of the players and agents. Your right, Bates can’t be taken on his word, but Im not sure the players can anymore either … Its all about opinion … And at least you have one . Keep up the good work, dont send me off to “clarkeonenil”

TimPM

I’ve often wondered if our legends from the 70s era would’ve been at Leeds if we’d dropped down the table or even got relegated?

It’s easy to be loyal to a side (like at Arsenal, Scum, Chelski) when it’s sitting near the top of world football.

Glasgow

Snodgrass was on £15.000 a week at Leeds and was offered £28.000 at Norwich.

Irving08

Cheers Bob. See a post near the top of this topic for reasons why I can’t agree with you. There is no need to apologise for causing ‘offence’ to the views of others. Speaking ffor myself I tend to look on my views as something separate from my person.

Frontline correspondents HAHA! Angry men bellowing abuse from the Kop?

TimPM

I was more thinking in the style of TNS, hunting down Phil Hay et al. lol

oldschoolbaby

I haven`t got a clue what`s happening with the takeover but after such a protraced period I can only guess that Bates is reluctant to part with his toy or that the consortium aren`t the type of Arabs ho can sign a cheque wothout bothering to look at the figure involved Either way it seems we have put our faith in Warnock` nous, the collecton of batlers he has asssembled plus Ross. Thankfully.

Sunnyleeds

Snodgras’ excuse for leaving us was that the only way to improve his chances of playing international football was to move to Premier League football. McCormack has proved him wrong. He played for Scotland earlier this week, and now has pledged his faith with us. Good to have players who truly appreciate wearing the Leeds shirt. By signing on the dotted line McCormack has expressed his gratitude to Leeds for giving him the opportunity to re-launch his football career two seasons ago. On the other hand Leeds have helped Snodgrass establish himself after signing him from Livingston, only for the latter to move on to better opportunities in the short run. Let’s hope McCormack will prove him wrong and will help us to get to the Premier League this season, thus improving his chances for more Scottish caps.

Bob

Bang On! … Thank god theirs still a few of us left whos heads arent stuck in the clouds (or up our ass’s) Becchio (last year) and Ross have showed both faith and loyalty, and an appreciation for being given a chance … Snoddy, gone, forgotten …

It’s a fair argument, but you forget that Snodgrass was also angry at the constant lies he’s been fed by the Bates regime – he’s had to cope with that a lot longer than Ross has.
I wish him no ill will whatsoever, a lot of the comments – not yours – are just sour grapes and poor attempts to reinforce this ridiculous argument that Leeds are the bigger club and the better option long term. In the only way that actually matters, Norwich are currently the bigger club. You also have to question how long this term we keep referring to actually is – 8 years and counting so far by my reckoning? Everyone has a breaking point, it’s testament to how much they wanted to succeed at Elland Road that he and Jonny lasted as long as they did.
Most of it is just misplaced anger and allows Bates to get off scot-free. It’s easier to blame the player for being greedy than accept our club isn’t what it once was – and won’t be again while ever Bates remains. It’s like people believe that if they keep lying to themselves and repeating “we’re the bigger club, it was greed, stupid move” it’ll make it true. It won’t. The reality remains, on the only thing we can use as evidence (2011-12) we’re a poor Championship side.

Lee B

I applaud the way Norwich (and to a certain extent Everton) are building their clubs.
They sign – for a relatively small amount – established and promising Championship players (e.g. Howson, Johnson, Snoddy, Beckford) that have less than 12 months to run on their contracts.
Once signed, their value is immediately trebled. If they prove themselves in the Prem, great, and if not they can sell them 1 year later for a profit.
Everton did very well out of Beckford, in fact, it probably saved their arses.

They are building playing assets. Unlike KB-led LUFC, who are constantly doing the opposite. That’s why we have no money and no assets.

Well done KB – we all love you…

topvalleywhite

imo the Bates thing is a cop out, whites signed and he’s been at the club since he was an embryo, Ross has signed, we’ve appointed the best manager to get us up, snodgrass wanted to go with his mates, for all his quality i think of all the players that have left he’ll struggle the most,he hasnt got the pace for his position in the premeirship, for him to do well he’d need a team building round him which is what colin wanted to do, the boys a fool

Chareose

Spot on TSS, the longer Leeds united spend outside the premiership the weaker we become…..Norwhich are a bigger club at the moment

Irving08

Snoddy had a reason, not an excuse, to leave. He is 24 and he needs to find out now if he can cut it at the top level. Overall he gave more to Leeds than he got back. We are still in the Championship whereas, had he kicked up a fuss, he may even have gone last summer when Lambert came in for him. Although Ross M. is a couple of years older than Snoddy, he is not as far on his career, viewed in strictly football terms, for he has yet to establish a position on the field. His staying is no more an expression of gratitude than Snoddy’s departure is of ingratitude. Each is seeking to further their own career.

fringo

IF, (and it’s looking like), something will be announced, “imminently”, I hope fans will wait to see the colour of the buyers’ money before they start celebrating. Let’s be sure these are New Owners, and not just the Old One rehashed and reheated, AGAIN.

Irving08

Three cheers for Ross M.and one one for Sean Harvey.
This season I want to see Ross do it against the better teams in the Division. Now he’s top dog, so to speak, I have a hunch he will.
As for our takeover, who knows, it a may even be immanent ?

It’s actually Shaun, but putting my unnecessary pedantry aside, he’s actually showing himself in an entirely new light lately. Attending the LUST meeting and engaging with supporters, working “tirelessly” (according to Hay) on the takeover, getting players to stay – maybe he just looked bad in Bates’ shadow?

mrbigwheels

Mr Harvey is actually an undervalued asset to the club if one considers the progressive picture of the past three months, working ”tirelessly” according to Hay and ”very hard, to achieve” according to Warnock… There will be a story revealed at some later date that will no doubt astound his detractors.

topvalleywhite

i agree, most people who work for Bates get hammered for guilt by association, every business has a budget to adhere to, weather its enough isnt Harvey’s descision and i can imagine any request for more resembling a scene from Oliver

Chareose

Harvey has to spend his days with working staff at Elland Road…….real people with lives and families dependant on the future of Leeds United as a business. Unlike Bates who can stay as a distant figure and play games based on his own ego at the expense of real people and fans……..Thats why Harvey is fighting so hard…….. He knows that if he doesnt the fans wont come back and the money will stop, redundancies will follow, Bates wont give a XXXX but Harvey will be left with the guilt.

This is the same Shaun Harvey who banned Gary Cooper from buying Leeds tickets. He’s got a long way to go in order to gain forgiveness. He’s done nothing in 7 years and now becomes ‘active’. Weird, it’s almost as if there’s a takeover in the offing and his CEO job is on the line. Too little too late. We need a clean sweep of all the Bates hangers on. That includes Harvey. Send him back to the Post Office. I’ll pay for Recorded Delivery just to be sure he goes.

Stu W

Hopefully we really are getting closer with the takeover saga, however this has been mentioned so many times it’s probably best to not hold our breaths just keep our digits crossed instead, that way at least if it ends up being a rather protracted and elongated takeover then we should have decent numbers passing through the turnstiles this season

PapaAlpha

If you leave Leeds your career goes to pot 9 times out of 10.
Finally a bit of common sense from a big player. Its only a matter of time before LUFC are back challenging for major honours. Everyone knows this!!!!
MOT

mrbigwheels

Wooo blooody Hooooo Tim… Told you not to go on a 10 mile hike. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah… you had your blooody phone with you……. ‘Stuff’ is looking up….

stevieleeds

Anyone who has been through due diligence knows that its a long winded and often infuriating process. At the end of this when the ‘chipping’ process has been completed (vendor using findings in due diligence to lower the price) the two legal teams get around the table often to try and reach a deal. Often ending in the early hours of the morning (i wonder / hope this typeof meting as going on last night?).
More often than not the purchaser will use the whole process (& many tricks along the way) to grind the vendor down to agreeing a price and terms that they would not originally have agreed

Only a guess or a wish but Ramadan ends on Sunday, so Monday could be the day? I hope so!! Good on yer Ross, perhaps you know something we don’t and it has been reflected in your wage packet? No matter, it is great that you are staying to help get us promoted. Rock and Roll brother, this is the ministry of the Whites!!

It has nothing to do with Ramadam. The Muslim world doesn’t come to a complete standstill, if it did, the world economy would crash.

Jumblatts

I doubt its to do with his wage, Ross said himself that all he wanted was guaranteed regular football,and warnock wasn’t going to give him that to start with, which is why he didn’t sign initially

henrymouni

I wish our ex players well, and will be watching all Norwich games on Sky.

Onward and upward!

Matthew

Happy Ross signed, good win today, was correct we’d win too.
Just laughing that Norwich are losing 4-0 at the moment, more so that our players thought the grass would be greener at Norwich, Snoddy was subbed off after 56 minutes, hilarious result and can only get better as theres still time for a few more.

Ash

It is Eid (muslim’s xmas) on Sunday, as it is the last day of ramadan today. Lets hope we will be celebrating with them – Leeds united being the arabs’ eid present come Monday

Feel very positive with the new players looking very solid and hard to beat. We do need 2 or 3 quality players to get up . remember we needed Strachan,Vinney,Hendrie , Chapman,Sterland, Fairclough and a couple of academy players Batty and Speed (rip) to Get us up last time and even the it went to the last game.
A takeover that gives additional funding of £10m for fees and wages is the promised land as NW will use that to deliver.Come on you,mighty whites!